In the opinion pages today, Toby Shapshak provides a first-person account of his experience of load shedding while also homing in on the struggles small businesses face, Peter Bruce says an energy emergency isn’t necessary but fast-tracking renewable energy providers is vital.
SA’s Lord of the Flies, courtesy of Eskom – Financial Mail (for subscribers)
While humorously written and a good comparison given our current energy crisis, Toby Shapshak writes about the struggles small businesses face following the ramping up of load shedding.
While many have started to insulate themselves from the dreaded blackouts by buying generators, solar-operated backups and inverters, they are just as easily stolen or cost large sums to keep running when the power runs out.
Shapshak has compared the darkness seen when driving through a powerless suburb at night and the theft of expensive equipment to something out of William Golding’s survival novel, Lord of the Flies.
PETER BRUCE: Let private sector in as De Ruyter tries riding Eskom into the sunset – Business Day (for subscribers)
Peter Bruce writes we need to get the private sector onboard as soon as possible for Eskom to effectively connect new power generation to the existing grid.
Getting a swath of renewable power producers onto the grid is imperative to ending load shedding and is our only chance to rid ourselves of the scourge of blackouts.
Bruce argues that for this to be achieved there needs to be leadership shown from President Cyril Ramaphosa and energy minister Gwede Mantashe and trade minister Ebrahim Patel need to step aside and relax the red tape in the meantime so that we can eradicate load shedding before going back to squabbling over the politics of Eskom and power procurement.
Here’s what else we’re reading today:
Ramaphosa’s in a serious predicament – The Citizen (for subscribers)
If ANC does not see signs of a failing state, Zimbabwe is not far off – The Citizen (for subscribers)
ANC NEC’s bold action promise on Zondo and electricity — great words with an unclear relation to reality – Daily Maverick
SARAH BUITENDACH: LinkedIn – a hotbed of self-promotion – Financial Mail (for subscribers)
JAMIE CARR: Naspers takes care with Tencent – Financial Mail (for subscribers)
CHRIS ROPER: Jacob Zuma and the rise of uncivil society – Financial Mail (for subscribers)
Mbhazima Shilowa | Put your money where your mouth is, opposition parties.
Call for early elections – News24 (for subscribers)
